Improvement in trunks



GHALES MAYER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUNKS.

Specificatiouforming part of Letters Patent No. 40,348, dated October 20, 1863.

interior of the trunk. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference in the three views indicatecorresponding parts.

This invention consists in a trunk with triple sides and a double bottom, said sides being connected by slotted screw-clamps in such a manner that the middle part of each side slides between the inner and outer parts, and the trunk can be enlarged in height to any desired extent, and if thus enlarged a space or receptacle is formed between the two bottoms, capable to receive such articles which it is desirable to keep separate from the balance of the contents of the trunk.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, Lwill proceed to describe it.

A represents a trunk, of any desirable size or shape, made of leather or wood, or any other suitable material.

The sides of this trunk are made of three parts, a b 0, each, (see Fig. 3,) which are connected so that the middle part, 1), slides up and down between the inner and outer parts, a c, as will be presently explained.

The inner parts or sides, a, are connected to each other and to the bottom 6?, so that a regular trunk is formed. Said inner parts extend up above the-outer parts, 0, and they are strengthened by strips 6, fastened to their top edges, and to these strips the lid B is hinged in the ordinary manner.

The middle parts, I), are also connected to each other and to the bottom d, so that a box is formed just large enough to allow of insert ing the inner box, a cl, and to slide the same up and down in it.

Slotted screw-clamps 0 connect the sides a and b, the sides a being provided with slots to correspond to the slots in the clamps and to allow of moving the screws f up and down. The plates or brackets g of said clamps are provided with a series of cavities, h, to receive the nuts of the screws and prevent them from slipping when the trunk is set.

The heads of the screws are mortised into the sides I), and are firmly retained in the same.

The outer parts, 0, are secured by mean of screwsi to the strips 6, surrounding the top edge of theinner box, a d, and by referring to Fig. 3 it will be noticed that said strips are precisely of the same thickness as the sides I) of the box I) at, so that the sides b slide readily up and down between the sides a and c, and that when the trunk is extended the gaps between the strips 6 and sides b and the slots in the sides a are perfectly concealed.

When the inner box, a d, is down the bottom d rests on the bottom at, and the strips 6 are in contact with the top edges of the sides b.

In this condition the trunk is used like an ordinary traveling-trunk. If more room is needed, or if it is desirable to have a receptacle for articles which are to be kept separate from the balance of the contents of the trunk, the inner box, a (I, is raised and set'to any height by means of the screw-clamps U. A space is now formed between the bottoms d d, to which access can. be had by opening the bottom d.

In order to effect this purpose, said bottom is made in two parts, which are hinged to the side frame and provided with lock and key, so that the same can be fastened independent of the lock on the lid B.

It remains to remark that the clamps C ought to be covered up by suitable slides to prevent the screws injuring the clothes or other articles that may be packed in the trunk, and the top edges of the plates or brackets 9 may be used to support atray-such as are generally used in traveling trunks.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A trunk, A, having triple sides a b c, and two bottoms, d (1'', said sides being connected by slotted screw-clamps O, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

2. The cavities h in the brackets of the clamps O, as described, to prevent the screws from slipping when the trunk is set.

CHAS. MAYER.

Witnesses:

THos. S. J. DOUGLAS, D. ROBERTSON. 

